March 17 - Who Do You Live to Please?

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 

Who do you live to please? Yourself? Your spouse, friend, neighbor, boss, co-workers, peers, parents, teachers, coaches, pastor? God? God wants us to please Him…to live in a way that honors Him. Repeatedly I am reminded that there is a Sabbath and that God want us to REST on that day…to honor Him. God repeatedly told the Israelites to honor Him and His Sabbath. In Ezekiel 20:19-20 God says…I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them. Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God. So if we want to please God we need to let Him know that we want to keep His commandments.  

Training Tip – Who Will You Please? Make up a small board game for your family. There needs to be ten spaces around the board—or more if you wish. Each space that someone lands on they choose a card with a situation associated with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Then they must choose if they will follow themselves, others, or God. Write out situations like…Your Mom tells you to do something—do you sass back, do you complain to your brother or sister, or do you do what she asked you to do?

1. I am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other gods. [Who is He? Do you know God?]
2. Thou shall bring no false idols before me. [Do you serve other gods? Money? TV? Movie Stars/Characters?]
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain. [If you were really mad at someone or something would you cuss or swear?]
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. [Will you rest on Sunday?]
5. Honor thy father and thy mother. [Do you honor/respect your Mom & Dad?]
6. Thou shall not kill/murder. [Do you call someone a fool?]
7. Thou shall not commit adultery. [Do you even think about someone else’s spouse?]
8. Thou shall not steal. [Do you want something that is not yours?]
9. Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. [Do you lie?]
10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's wife (or anything that belongs to your neighbor). [Do you want something that is not yours?]

Talk about the importance of pleasing God—above all others. By choosing to honor and respect our parents, we are honoring God. Stress that we all have choices—everyday in many different ways and activities. It is our choice to please God, ourselves or others. Who will you please? 

Lord God, Your laws and commandments are important to me. I am pledging this day to honor You and follow the guidelines that You have given us by which to live—those Ten Commandments. You promised that if a person observes your ordinances, they will live (Ezekiel 20:11). I want to live eternally with You.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.